


Bell Rung

by Mjazilem



Category: Lethal Weapon (TV)
Genre: 2x19, F/M, Family, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Tag, Whump, episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-26
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-28 02:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14439183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mjazilem/pseuds/Mjazilem
Summary: Tag to episode 2x19 because we got some hurt but no comfort.  Riggs has been ignoring the headache that he's had since he woke up in Jake's room.  Molly's not going to let him get away with that anymore.





	Bell Rung

Molly wipes the chocolate off his nose, wraps her arms around his neck and pulls Riggs close to her. 

They kiss and it feels so nice to be in his arms again. She takes his hat off and flings it behind her. She thinks it hit the counter. It doesn't matter. His hands move down her back. His kiss deepens. She runs her hands up through his hair.

Then suddenly he'd pulling back from her. She opens her eyes as he flinches and hisses and she doesn't know what. “What is it? What happened?” She asks one hand still on his arm, the other hovering over his chest. She tries to figure out why his eyes are closed tight.

A smile pulls his mouth to one side and he tilts his head in a poor imitation of a playful look. She doesn't believe it for a second especially when he screws open his eyes and says he's fine. 

“Bullshit, Riggs. Are you hurt?” 

The skin around his eyes looks a little too tight and his cheeks are a little too pale. 

“No... no no,” He denies but backtracks when he sees the disbelieving look on Molly's face. “Well... maybe. It's no big deal. It's not like I was shot.” He pokes his finger through the bullet hole in his jacket to illustrate that he knows what that feels like. 

“What happened?” Molly can her the concern in her own voice. Martin looks guilty. She swears he could be on his deathbed and say it was just a scratch so no one else would worry. 

“I got hit... on the head.” 

“Come here sit down.” Molly directs him to a stool and he complies.

“It's really nothing.”

“Riggs you've got a goose egg on the back of your head.”

“Ow, yeah, well the guy hit me pretty hard.”

“Did you get checked out by a doctor?”

“No, I had stuff to do. I had to catch Jake. I don't think I was out of it that long.” He had been to Jake's room past midnight and woke up with the sun coming up, a few hours wasn't the longest he'd been unconscious before. 

'Out of it.' Molly takes in his words, standing behind him where he can't see her and takes a deep breath. He had been knocked unconscious and didn't think that was a big enough reason to go to the hospital. 

She wants to shout about responsibility and taking care of himself. But Riggs is going to do things his way, shouting isn't going to change that. “How do you feel? You don't have a concussion do you?” 

She and Jake were in a car accident once that had left her seeing double and nauseous for a week. It was the worst. 

Riggs is quiet, he'd been running on adrenaline all weekend, he finally takes stock of how he feels. “I don't think I've got a concussion...” He starts. 

Molly moves around him to see his face. He's being genuine. “Just got a bellringer of a headache.” 

She looks in his eyes. She's no doctor but she knows from her own experience that if the pupils in the eyes are different sizes that's a sign of concussion. His seem to be the same but she plans to keep checking. 

Riggs keeps talking. “I'm not scheduled tomorrow so I'm planning to just gonna stay on my couch and sleep through it.” 

“Nope.” Molly shakes her head. 

“What, Molly... really I don't need to see a doctor.” 

“Alright fine, I'm not gonna push that... but if anything changes and you start seeing double you promise me you'll go.” 

“Molly...” 

“Promise me.” she crosses her arms, she was not going to let him get away with that. 

“Alright I promise.”

“Good, now, you need shower.” He smelled like the police station and getting a hot shower might help his head. 

“But I just got here.” He blinks and practically looks hurt. 

Molly rolls her eyes. She's not sending him home. 

“Yes and you're gonna go get in my shower and I'm gonna grab you some clothes and ice.” She moves to the cabinet by the sink and grabs him a glass of water and some Advil. 

He takes the water and the pills and thanks her. It's not as many as he usually takes but maybe they'll take the edge off. He throws them back. 

“You'll stay here tonight.” She tells him matter of factly as she takes the glass back from him. 

“Molly I don't wanna impose...” 

“You're gonna stay here and rest and you're gonna start by taking a shower. Now go, you know where the towels are.” 

**

She'd found the t-shirt and pair of sweat pants he'd left here a while back. They'd been folded on a shelf in the laundry room. She sneaks them into the bathroom where she can tell he's standing under the water in the shower. 

She goes to grab the icepack and a towel to cover it. When she gets back he's standing in his sweatpants in her bedroom pulling his t-shirt over his head. 

Molly can see his bare and bruised chest in the dim light coming in through the blinds. “I guess I should get the peas out of the freezer.” 

It takes a second but Riggs realizes what she's talking about. “Oh” he adjusts his shirt and rubs his sore ribs. “got punched a time or two, nothing's broken, I'll heal.” 

“I'm sure ya will, tough guy.” Molly moves to the bed and props up a couple of pillows for Riggs. 

Riggs combs his damp curls back with his fingers and winces as he hits the sore spot on his head. “Come on Riggs.” She pats the pillows invitingly. 

“It's a kinda early to be getting in bed isn't it?” 

“You said you were gonna stay on your couch, what's the difference, besides I've got nicer pillows.” 

He hesitates, but gives in and joins her at the bed. He easing himself down and back into the big pillows. 

He lays on top of the comforter, it's a little warm for all the blankets and she pulls a light throw up to his chest. “Lift your head just a bit.” He does and she positions the soft icepack under his head.

It feels so good to be lying down Riggs feels tears start to form in his eyes. He rubs them away with a sigh. He didn't realize he was this tried. 

Looking up again he finds Molly watching him. “you alright?” She asks softly. 

“I'm good, thank you.” 

“Alright, good.” She squeezes his hand. “I'm gonna get those peas.” and make a note to get another icepack or three for Riggs, she thinks. She has a feeling she'll need them if Martin is sticking around. 

She doesn't get far. Riggs keeps hold of her hand. “Don't go.” 

“I'll be right back.” 

Riggs groans low in his throat and looks at her with pained puppy dog eyes. “It'll be fine, it's just bruises.” He says as he absently rubs his side trying to ignore the ache. “Stay with me, please Molls.” 

She could trust Ben by himself for a little while. But she needs to get another souffle attempt in the oven and it'll be lunch time soon. 

But she doesn't want to leave him just yet. “ok. Just for a little while.” She gives in. She squeezes his hand again and he lets her go. 

Molly moves around the bed and kicks off her shoes. 

She crawls up onto the bed and stretches out facing him, laying down propped up on one arm. 

He doesn't know how he got so lucky... again. 

“What'll it be, Riggs, cooking show or nature doc?”

“Is it Shark Week?” 

“Hum no.” Molly answers flatly. 

“Than I vote cooking.” His words slur slightly and Molly notices his eyes starting to droop too. 

That was good. She was worried he might not sleep. She knows he has nightmares, he has since they were kids and who could blame him. It was no secret that he went many nights without sleeping. 

She runs her fingers through his hair, letting her fingertips softly run across his temples. His eyelids close as a group of chefs try to sabotage one another low in the background. He's breathing steady and slow by the time of the first commercial break. 

Molly doesn't move except to stroke his hair until the show ends. 

***

Molly decides she needs to get up and she tries to move off the bed without disturbing Riggs. But as soon as she moves Riggs' eyes crack open. 

“Go back to sleep Riggs.” She whispers and is honestly surprised when he closes his eyes again. 

She goes down the hall and passes the Ben's room. He's at his desk playing with his tablet. “Hey bud, you want a grill cheese?” 

“Yeah.” He gets up and follows her. 

Ben looks around. “Where's Riggs?” He hadn't said goodbye so he figured Riggs was still here. 

“He's laying down right now.” She explains as she pulls the frying pan out of the cabinet. Ben grabs the cheese and butter out of the fridge. 

“Is he sick or something?” Ben asks. 

“Yeah, he got banged up yesterday.” Molly butters the bread and gets the pan on the stove. 

“Is he gonna be ok?”

“He'll be fine, Sweetie. Just like when you sprained your ankle on the playground last year and all you wanted to do was lay on the couch and watch cartoons, Riggs is getting some rest now.” Molly gets the sandwiches in the pan. Ben gets paper plates for both of them. 

“Are you gonna make Riggs some of your chicken noodle soup?” 

Molly always makes soup when Ben isn't feeling well. 

“We can, you want to help me?”

“Yeah.” 

“We'll do that after lunch than.”

****

After lunch and getting the chicken in the pot for soup Molly gets some Advil and water and takes it into Martin. 

She expects him to still be sleeping, she must have been kidding herself. She finds Riggs standing at the foot of the bed. One eye open, one boot on, hair hanging in his face. 

“That's a good look, bud.” Sweatpants and boots, sexy. 

He grunts something unintelligible at her and tries to get his other boot on. 

She would have laughed at him and the whole scene but he looked like he was about to fall over. “Are you really determined to do this?” He was a stubborn fool. 

“I've already got my boots on Molly, I'm not getting back in bed.” His head hurt. His bruises hurt. Movement hurt, noise hurt, light hurt... but it wasn't anything he hadn't felt before. He didn't think he could sleep anymore and now he didn't want to stay in bed... he didn't want to be alone. 

“Ok than.” She shrugs, arguing seems pointless. It was probably better this way anyway she could keep an eye on Riggs. “Come on.”

When they get to the living room Molly points. “ You, on the couch.” She directs. 

He doesn't argue. 

Riggs shuffles, scuffing his boots on the floor. He sinks down into the comfy couch. His head rests on the cushion. It doesn't throb as much as when he was standing. 

His eyes slide closed. He tells himself it's because the sunlight coming in the front windows is too bright. 

After Molly checks the chicken and puts the icepack back in the freezer she goes to see if Riggs needs anything and finds him asleep on the couch. 

She shakes her head knowingly. 

*****

Riggs is laying down half on, half off the couch, boots still on. One arm draped over his eyes. When he senses someone next to him and cracks an eye to see Ben standing by the couch looking at him. 

“What's up little man?” Riggs croaks. 

“Mom told me to bring you this.” He holds out the icepack that was cold again “And she wants to know if you're ready to eat something.” 

“Thanks Ben.” Riggs pushes himself up into a sitting position and puts the icepack between his head and the couch cushion. He leans back into the cold and closes his eyes. “Thanks for the ice.” 

“What about food? We made you chicken noodle soup.” So that's what he was smelling. 

“It smells real good... but I'm... not hungry right now bud.” Riggs says and then opens his eyes to see the disappointed look on Ben's face. He feels guilty and grimaces. “I'd love to have some. Just give me a few minutes, bud.” 

Ben nods and looks at Riggs curiously. “Mom said you got hurt.” 

“Yeah.” Martin sees Ben's eyes get big and tries to “nothing to worry about, just some scratches and a headache.” 

“Did a bad guy hurt you?” 

“Yeah, it happens sometimes in my job.” Riggs want to be honest but he omits Jake's involvement in his bruises. 

Ben accepts his explanation. “You wanna watch some cartoons?” 

Ben takes a sit on the other end of the couch. 

“Sure Buddy.” Riggs agrees and Molly peaks her head out of the kitchen. 

“Keep the volume down low Ben.”

“Ok Mom.” 

Riggs closes his eyes as Spiderman swings across the screen. 

When he wakes up there is still a pleasant smell coming from the kitchen. He feels comfortable and warm. 

And his head doesn't feel like there's a man with a jackhammer at the back of his skull. 

Opening his eyes he can see Sponge Bob on the TV now and Ben on the floor with a tablet playing some game. Riggs turns his head gingerly and sees Molly sitting next to him on the couch. 

She sees he's awake and shifts closer to his side. Riggs leans towards her till their shoulders are touching. 

She smiles at him and he feels better than he has in a long time.


End file.
